Pakistan speedster signs two-year deal with Hampshire
County Championship Division 01 2022, Round 13, Day 4
WI vs PAK | 2nd Test Preview: Windies bank on pacers to deliver series win over battered tourists
WI vs PAK | Day 2: Brathwaite, Holder script fightback to help Windies take first innings lead
West Indies had a terrible start to the proceedings in the first innings of the first Test against Pakistan in Jamaica after they lost two wickets for two runs before the end of first day’s play. But captain Kraigg Brathwaite along with Roston Chase steadied the ship for the home side on Day 2 as the two batsmen stitched a stand of 49 runs for the third wicket before Chase was sent back in the hut for 21 by Hasan Ali. Brathwaite then put 49 runs with Jermaine Blackwood for the fourth wicket but the partnership was broken by Shaheen Afridi who removed Blackwood for 22. The hosts then lost Kyle Mayers on the very first delivery that he faced after getting trapped in front of the stumps by Shaheen leaving his team in a spot of bother at 100/5. The skipper was later joined by the experienced Jason Holder in the middle. Both the batsmen resisted well and helped West Indies come out of a critical situation with a 96-run stand for the sixth wicket. While Holder departed for 58, Brathwaite fell short of just three runs of what could have been a fine century for 97 after he was run out eventually. The Caribbean side took the first innings lead and ended the second day’s play at 251/8, leading by 34 runs. Mohammad Abbas added another dismissal to his tally in the innings for Pakistan while Shaheen scalped a couple of wickets. Faheem Ashraf and Hasan Ali also picked up a wicket apiece before the stumps were called. Brathwaite expressed his disappointment at missing out on a ton. “Obviously not feeling too good (getting run-out on 97), as soon as I returned for the second (sensed the trouble), but I committed to two and then I took off. Probably misjudged it and wouldn't do it again but from a team's POV [Point of view] I would have liked to be there at the end,” he said.
Pakistan Test squad members to leave for West Indies on July 26: PCB
The Pakistan players who have not travelled with their limited-overs side to England would be going directly to West Indies by boarding a flight from Lahore on July 26 to Barbados. “The 11 players that will join the remaining Test players in the West Indies finished their 10-day training and conditioning camp at the National Stadium Karachi today,” A release by Pakistan Cricket Board said. “The players will now enter a bio-secure bubble in a Lahore hotel on 22 July before departing for Barbados. Before entering the bio-secure bubble, the players will undergo Covid-19 tests at their respective hometowns on Monday, 19 July,” it added. After the first round of testing, the players would undergo another round of testing on their arrival in the team hotel in Lahore on Thursday, 22 July. And post these two tests, a final round of testing will be conducted on Saturday 24 July. This series will also mark the start of Pakistan’s World Test Championship 2021-23 journey as well. Both the Tests in this series would be played at Sabina Park, Kingston, Jamaica with the first one starting from August 12. The 11 players who would be travelling to Barbados are: Abid Ali, Azhar Ali, Fawad Alam, Imran Butt, Mohammad Abbas, Naseem Shah, Nauman Ali, Sajid Khan, Shahnawaz Dahani, Yasir Shah, Zahid Mahmood
Azam Khan recieves maiden Pakistan call up as PCB name squads for England and West Indies tour
Quetta Gladiators’ hard-hitting middle-order batsman and son of former Pakistan wicket-keeper batsman Moin Khan, Azama Khan has received his maiden Pakistan call up as the Pakistan Cricket Board announced squads for the team’s England and West Indies tour. The selection committee headed by Muhammad Wasim also recalled Middle-order batsman Haris Sohail, spinner Imad Wasim and fast bowlers Mohammad Abbas and Naseem Shah to various ODI and T20I squads as well. Among other important players in the side include Zahid Mahmood, who retained his place as Yasir Shah’s availability is still subject to fitness. Along with Zahid, left-arm spinner Nauman Ali and off-spinner Sajid Khan have also remained in the squad for the two Tests in Jamaica. Among uncapped players, Saud Shakeel and Salman Ali Agha have been named in the squads as well. “We have remained consistent in our selection and kept the same core of cricketers who have been in the set-up for a while,” Wasim said in a press release on the announcement of the squad. Talking about the return of various players, the selector further added, “Mohammad Abbas has regained his form, Naseem Shah and Haris Sohail have reclaimed the required fitness standards, while Imad Wasim has been recalled considering the T20 World Cup is likely to be held in the UAE and he enjoys an excellent record there.” The team will depart from UAE on June 25 after the completion of the PSL’s sixth edition. It will depart on its return journey from Jamaica, after completing both tours, on August 25. Squads (in alphabetical order): ODIs: Babar Azam (captain) (Central Punjab), Shadab Khan (vice-captain) (Northern), Abdullah Shafique (Central Punjab), Faheem Ashraf (Central Punjab), Fakhar Zaman (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Haider Ali (Northern), Haris Rauf (Northern), Haris Sohail (Balochistan), Hasan Ali (Central Punjab), Imam-ul-Haq (Balochistan), Mohammad Hasnain (Sindh), Mohammad Nawaz (Northern), Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper) (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Salman Ali Agha (Southern Punjab), Sarfaraz Ahmed (wicketkeeper) (Sindh), Saud Shakeel (Sindh), Shaheen Shah Afridi (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) and Usman Qadir (Central Punjab). T20Is: Babar Azam (captain) (Central Punjab), Shadab Khan (vice-captain) (Northern), Arshad Iqbal (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Azam Khan (Sindh), Faheem Ashraf (Central Punjab), Fakhar Zaman (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Haider Ali (Northern), Haris Rauf (Northern), Hasan Ali (Central Punjab), Imad Wasim (Northern), Mohammad Hafeez (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Mohammad Hasnain (Sindh), Mohammad Nawaz (Northern), Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper) (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Mohammad Wasim Jnr (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Sarfaraz Ahmed (wicketkeeper) (Sindh), Shaheen Shah Afridi (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Sharjeel Khan (Sindh) and Usman Qadir (Central Punjab). Tests: Babar Azam (captain) (Central Punjab), Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper) (vice-captain) (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Abdullah Shafique (Central Punjab), Abid Ali (Central Punjab), Azhar Ali (Central Punjab), Faheem Ashraf (Central Punjab), Fawad Alam (Sindh), Haris Rauf (Northern), Hasan Ali (Central Punjab), Imran Butt (Balochistan), Mohammad Abbas (Southern Punjab), Mohammad Nawaz (Northern), Naseem Shah (Central Punjab), Nauman Ali (Northern), Sajid Khan (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Sarfaraz Ahmed (wicketkeeper) (Sindh), Saud Shakeel (Sindh), Shaheen Shah Afridi (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Shahnawaz Dahani (Sindh), Yasir Shah (Balochistan, subject to fitness) and Zahid Mahmood (Southern Punjab).
Unstoppable Jamieson gives New Zealand clean sweep over Pakistan and no. 1 rank
New Zealand achieved a perfect ending to their Test home summer by bowling out Pakistan for just 186 and consigning them to an innings and 176-run defeat. The day was always expected to be a tough one for the visitors as Kyle Jamieson had looked threatening on day 3 itself and the likes of Tim Southee and Trent Boult were expected to have an impact at some stage. The first wicket, as expected, was of the night-watchman Mohammad Abbas who nicked one from Boult to wicketkeeper BJ Watling. Surprisingly, Abbas decided to review, only to find out that he indeed got an edge. Then came the most promising partnership of the day, between Abid Ali, the overnight batsman and Azhar Ali. The two played some delightful shots and resisted the Kiwi attack for 86 balls, scoring 29 runs together. But a magnificent one-handed catch from substitute Will Young ended that partnership. Young dived to his right and took a slightly aerial square drive by Abid with his right hand, giving Jamieson his second. He also dismissed Haris Sohail later and Pakistan were 4-down for just 79. However, Azhar Ali was playing really well and Pakistan’s hopes rested on him. Unfortunately, New Zealand, especially Jamieson, adopted a new strategy against him. The tall left-armer came round the wicket and started bowling at Azhar’s ribs. Eventually, the tactic worked as the former Pakistan captain moved towards the off side and fended a ball into the wicketkeeper’s gloves. With Azhar gone, Pakistan were pretty much done and dusted. Captain Mohammad Rizwan received a peach of a delivery as Jamieson got one ball to swing into the right-hander a long way and go through his defences to shatter the stumps. Jamieson eventually ended with 6/48 which, along with 5/69 in his first innings, gave him his first 10-wicket haul in a match. Some late fireworks were provided by Zafar Gohar but they were only dying flickers of a doomed flame. The match ended with him getting out for 37 as New Zealand achieved the top spot in ICC rankings, for the first time in their history. This also meant that they won all their home matches this season. Skipper Kane Williamson won the Man of the Series Award while Jamieson took home the Man of the Match trophy.
Day 3: Record Williamson-Nicholls partnership crushes Pakistan's confidence
Pakistan endured another miserable day on their tour of New Zealand with Kane Williamson completing another double century, his second of the season, and Daryl Mitchell reaching three figures for the first time in his career, on day 3 of the second Test going on at Christchurch. The day started with both Williamson, not out on 129 overnight, and Henry Nicholls, unbeaten on 89, resuming the grounding down of opposition. It didn’t take much time for New Zealand to reach 300 from their overnight score of 286, and for Nicholls to complete his second hundred of the season. However, keeping with the trend of missed chances yesterday, Nicholls was dropped twice again today, first, at the score of 92, then, after he had reached his 100. Williamson too, was dropped once in the morning. The two batsmen continued to pile on the agony for the visitors as the Pakistani bowlers looked deflated. The partnership swelled to epic proportions, becoming the highest for any wicket in Pakistan vs New Zealand matches. The 369-run stand is also the third-biggest for any wicket by a New Zealand batting pair. Nicholls managed to reach his 150 while an unrelenting Kiwi captain completed his second double hundred of the season. But before Williamson’s milestone, Pakistan finally got a breakthrough when Nicholls got a top edge to a rare bouncer from Mohammad Abbas. He scored 157. BJ Watling missed out on the fun when he was dismissed cheaply by Shaheen Shah Afridi, for just seven. But Daryl Mitchell, in the team due to Neil Wagner’s injury, made full use of this opportunity. He and Williamson went on the offensive and started to smash the Pakistan bowlers to all round the ground. Williamson’s innings finally ended when he attempted an upper cut which landed in the hands of the third man fielder. This shot and the way the two batsmen were batting was a clear sign that the Kiwis wanted to declare soon. It was now a race against the time for Mitchell to get to his maiden Test hundred. Williamson was poised for declaration after tea but gave enough time to the all-rounder to complete his ton. The New Zealand innings ended at 659/6, a lead of 362 runs. When Pakistan came out to bat, the two openers – Shan Masood and Abid Ali – showed great restraint, not scoring a run for the first few overs. Then, the in-form bowler Kyle Jamieson came into the attack and made an impact immediately, getting Masood to edge a delivery to slip on the second ball of his first over. He was out for a 25-ball duck. Abid Ali also seemed to have succumbed to Jamieson when the umpire gave him out lbw. But he survived thanks to a nick that even he wasn’t aware of. Eventually, Pakistan ended day 3 on 8/1, trailing by 354. An innings defeat looms large on the horizon for Pakistan. Unless, someone plays a really special knock.
Day 2: Masterful Kane Williamson and missed chances frustrate Pakistan
Pakistan must have felt very happy about their first innings score of 297 going into the second day of the second Test against New Zealand at Hagley Oval, Christchurch. Now, it was up to their very capable bowlers to make that total count on a pitch that was providing decent help to seam bowlers. The start to New Zealand’s innings though, was not as per the visitors’ wishes. Openers Tom Latham and Tom Blundell got through the early overs without much trouble. Mohammad Abbas was once again his usual metronomic self while Shaheen Shah Afridi too didn’t err in line and length. But no harm came to New Zealand till the 20th over, and up to the score of 52. Then a brilliant review by captain Mohammad Rizwan for a lbw appeal against Blundell did the trick. The incoming delivery from Faheem Ashraf was found to have struck the Kiwi opener in line and was going on to hit the stumps fully. Pakistan finally had the breakthrough. Suddenly, things started to happen. In the very next over, Shaheen got a ball to straighten just a little bit and the edge of Latham’s bat flew into the second slip’s hand. Even though the fielder there couldn’t grasp the catch, the rebound was taken by Haris Sohail at first slip to give Pakistan their second wicket. It was a bit of déjà vu for the hosts as once again, they were relying on their two best batsmen – Ross Taylor and Kane Williamson – to get them out of trouble against a spirited Pakistan attack. Williamson, recently anointed the best Test batsman in the world, was once again playing with great control and patience, watching the ball closely and playing it as late as possible. Taylor, as is his wont, was looking busy. However, his innings came to an end in the 30th over as Abbas also got a ball to straighten just enough to get an edge and a much-deserved wicket. Now, New Zealand were under serious pressure at 71/3. Then came the most important moment of the day, possibly even the match. At the score of 74, Henry Nicholls got a beautiful delivery from Shaheen, who was bowling in a good rhythm now, and was out, leaving his team in the doldrums. Only that he was not! The on-field umpire soon received a communication from the third umpire that Shaheen had overstepped. Nicholls, who has been dropped by fielders five times in this season already, got another life. And then, he had another narrow escape in the same over when another edge flew between the slips for four. After these lucky escapes, the left-hander settled down and, along with his captain, started to steady the ship. Then, in the last half-hour before the tea break, a curious bowling change occurred. Part-timer Shan Masood was brought in to bowl gentle medium-pacers. This allowed Williamson and Nicholls to deepen their roots at the crease and get settled. By the time Tea was taken, the Kiwis had reached 145/3. The pressure was now firmly back on the visitors. In the final session, things started to flow in New Zealand’s favour. First, Williamson got into his stride fully and started playing those elegant shots that are a feature of his batting. Nicholls too became more positive and the scoreboard began moving at a faster pace. Both batsmen reached their fifties and for the home team’s captain, another hundred seemed set for the taking. There were only two close calls in his innings. First, a rising delivery from Shaheen, bowled from round the wicket, took the edge but went between second slip and gully. Then, when he was in the 80s, a healthy edge went over the slips for four. But apart from this, the no. 1 Test batsman stood as stoutly against Pakistan’s attempts to break through as he did in the first Test. He reached his century with a delicate glance down to the fine leg boundary for four. By this time, Pakistan were deflated and New Zealand were coasting. Williamson offered another chance, this time to the fielder at gully, only to be dropped. The icing on the cake, or the salt in the wound was another dropped catch, off the bowling of Shaheen, when he got Nicholls to edge the ball to the keeper. Rizwan went with the reverse cup technique and grassed the opportunity. There was just one more trouble for the hosts to negotiate before the stumps. It was the sudden difficulty that Nicholls had with his calf. He took a long time in getting treated but carried on till the end of the day. Even the new ball couldn’t disturb the two batsmen. So, New Zealand ended day 2 on 286/3, trailing by just 11 runs, and with two set batsmen at the crease. Williamson is batting on 112 while Nicholls is eyeing another hundred, at 89 not out. Day 3 promises more pain for Pakistan, unless they break this partnership and then get through the remainder of the batting without much more damage. Day 1 The opening day of the Test saw the home side win the toss and put Pakistan into bat on another wicket promising help to the seamers. The day belonged to Kyle Jamieson as he picked up another five-for in his brief career. But the damage was first done by Tim Southee when he got a very full inswinger to hit Shan Masood on the toe, to have him lbw. Abid Ali and Azhar Ali started forming a good partnership when Jamieson swung into action by removing Abid first and Haris Sohail and Fawad Ahmed a little later. The ball that got Fawad was a near-unplayable delivery that roared off a length to take the glove of the left-hander as he tried to sway away. At 4/83, captain Rizwan joined Azhar and the two showed great grit to form an 88-run partnership. The Pakistan captain’s resistance was also broken by Jamieson. Then, a 56-run stand between Azhar and Faheem also threatened Pakistan. The former captain was denied a much-deserved hundred when he edged an away-swinger from Matt Henry to slip, to be out on 93. Even the debutant Zafar Gohar showed great fight alongside Faheem. But once Faheem was dismissed, by Jamieson who got his fifth, there was little left for Pakistan to offer. The innings of the visitors ended on 297 just before the close of play.
Gritty resistance by skipper Rizwan and Faheem saves Pakistan from follow-on
Pakistan was able to avoid the follow-on on day 3 of their first Test against New Zealand taking place at Mount Maunganui. But that would hardly compensate for the terrible collapse their batting order suffered in the morning session. At the start of play, hopes were high from Abid Ali and other batsmen of a fightback. But the New Zealand bowling attack showed why they have been so good in the last few years. On the same pitch where Pakistan's bowlers couldn't dislodge the masterful Kane Williamson and later, the gritty BJ Watling, the Kiwi pace attack ran riot. First, Kyle Jamieson ended Abid Ali's promising innings with a delivery that jagged back in and hit the stumps. The extra bounce generated by the tall bowler prevented Abid from coming forward and the ball went through his defences. Mohammad Abbas, the night-watchman, went soon after, edging a delivery from Trent Boult. Then, Tim Southee, on the brink of 300 Test wickets, got into the act. Azhar Ali, the mainstay of Pakistan's batting, was done in by a wonderful delivery that swung away just a little bit to take the edge of Ali's bat. Southee got his 298th scalp soon after when Haris Sohail sliced a delivery to gully. Pakistan were now tottering at 5/52. The new captain Mohammad Rizwan and Fawad Alam got together and showed some resistance. They put together 28 runs but then, Neil Wagner made an impact in his usual way. A short delivery got Fawad to attempt a pull. He only managed a faint top edge that was gleefully accepted by the wicketkeeper BJ Watling. At 80/6, Pakistan seemed set to follow on. But then Rizwan showed the same determined batting that has led him to the captaincy position. He teamed up with Faheem Ashraf who batted with such authority that he could easily have been mistaken for a top-order batsman. Ashraf was especially impressive with his pull shots, which were played in a most clinical manner. Rizwan, at the other end, also showed a solid technique and composure to keep his team from further harm. The conditions had become easier for batting and now, the New Zealand bowlers seemed much less menacing. There were a couple of chances. An aerial drive by Faheem was dropped at short cover, a difficult chance. An edge of Rizwan's bat went through the gap between slips and gully. Rizwan reached his fifty in 106 balls. Faheem also got to the milestone, in 87 balls. The two batsmen batted with much more application than was expected of them. They even dealt with the second new ball well. Eventually, what ended this brilliant partnership was some fielding brilliance. An attempted second run ended in disaster for the Pakistan captain as Mitchell Santner, who hardly bowled, sent a slingy, low arm throw from the deep that hit the stumps at non-striker end as Rizwan dived to make it to the crease, but was found short. The skipper departed for a well-made and fighting 71. This opened the door for New Zealand to wrap up Pakistan's innings before they could avoid the follow-on. Boult got a ball to swing back into right-hander Yasir Shah and smash the stumps. Shaheen Afridi parried an awkward bouncer to short-leg fielder Tom Latham. Meanwhile, Faheem saw an opportunity to get to his hundred. He had managed to take Pakistan past the follow-on mark. The lower order batsman seemed intent on getting his hundred before the close of the day's play. In the final over, he hit a boundary to move to 91, but Jamieson got a delivery outside off stump to just climb a little and take the edge. It was taken by Watling to end Pakistan's innings at 239, trailing the hosts by 192 runs. Jamieson finished with 3/35 off 23.2 overs in another impressive performance. Boult, Wagner, and Southee picked up two wickets each.
New Zealand seal advantage by grinding Pakistan further on day 2
More pain and struggle was in store for Pakistan on day 2 of the first Test at Mount Maunganui as the ever-efficient BJ Watling led his team past the score of 400 in their first innings. The Kiwis ended up with a score of 431. Pakistan, in reply, were 30/1 when the day's play ended. In the first session, the spotlight was on Kane Williamson who was batting on 94 overnight. His masterful display of discipline and determination was chiefly responsible for getting his team in a good position. He duly brought up his hundred with a silky smooth off drive - his 23rd century in Tests, just three less than Steve Smith and four less than Virat Kohli. The other overnight batsman Henry Nicholls had also reached a milestone, of his fifty earlier. The two batsman were now looking very comfortable on a pitch that seemed to have lost most of its venom. A sharp rising delivery from Naseem Shah ended Nicholls' vigil as the ball took the edge, to be taken behind the stumps. But Williamson looked at his elegant best, reeling off those gracious drives through the off side that distinguish his batting. It took a brilliant delivery from Yasir Shah to end Williamson's knock at his personal score of 129. A delivery on a good length pitched and turned to take the edge of the New Zealand captain's bat, which was taken very low at first slip. At 281/5, Pakistan would have fancied their chances of restricting the home side to a manageable total. Unfortunately for them, BJ Watling, the defiant, nuggety wicketkeeper-batsman again stood like a fort and didn't let the visitors get any more breakthroughs. He showed the solid technique and determination that his captain possesses to carve useful partnerships with Mitchell Santner first and Kyle Jamieson later. In this period, Pakistan surprisingly didn't use their most reliable bowler Mohamamd Abbas. Yasir was used and bowled well, but on a pitch that didn't give much help. Eventually, Faheem removed Santner with a wide delivery that the all-rounder tried to play, to be caught by the wicketkeeper. Jamieson, who was playing a highly irritating innings for Pakistan was dismissed by a good delivery by Abbas that bounced just a bit extra on a very tight off-stump line. His 32 though, formed part of an invaluable 66-run stand for the seventh wicket. After the tea break, Yasir ended the innings of Tim Southee. The pacer looked on edge against Yasir throughout his innings and was bowled by the leggie for a duck. Watling's innings ended at the score of 73 when he tried to guide a short ball from Shaheen Afridi over the slip cordon but was caught superbly by a diving Yasir at gully. Shaheen now wanted his fifth but Neil Wagner and Trent Boult kept surviving his deliveries in the most ungainly manner. Eventually, it was Yasir who got the final wicket when an attempted slog sweep by him got the top edge that was taken by the midwicket fielder. Shaheen's 4/109 were the best figures of the innings while Yasir's 3/113 were the second best. Faheem, Naseem, and Abbas got one each. When Pakistan started their innings, the focus was on Tim Southee as he is just four wickets short of becoming only the third New Zealander to get 300 Test wickets. However, openers Shan Masood and Abid Ali looked more than capable of taking on the famed new-ball duo of Southee and Boult. Abid, especially, played some brilliant shots. Masood though, was very unlucky to be dismissed when a delivery down the leg side was nicked by him to the wicketkeeper. Pakistan ended the day on 30/1 with Abid on 19 and night-watchman Abbas not having opened his account.
Williamson's brilliance trumps spirited Pakistan in battle of attrition on day 1
The first day of the Boxing Day Test between hosts New Zealand and Pakistan at Mount Maunganui witnessed a high-quality, intense brand of attritional Test cricket. At the end of the day, the home side has a clear edge, but it required incredible hard work and patience for them to get there. Pakistan won the toss and put New Zealand in to bat on a surface that was green, though not as green as the pitches served up for Tests against West Indies. The visitors, led for the first time by Mohammad Rizwan, opted for a four-pronged seam attack. The two opening bowlers - Shaheen Afridi and Mohammad Abbas gave their team a perfect start. Shaheen got Tom Latham out on the third ball of the match when a rising delivery, which straightened from an incoming angle to the left-handed Latham, took the edge and was caught at gully. Abbas, whose forte has been bowling with utmost accuracy and getting the ball to just do enough, lived up to his reputation and delivered a first spell where he did not waiver from the nagging line that he bowls and got the ball to swing as well. Shaheen got the other opener, Tom Blundell, out as well when he tried to drive a delievry that was going away from him. This put New Zealand in trouble at 13/2 and brought their two best batsmen - Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor to the crease. The two men showed immense self-restraint and relied heavily on leaves and a tight technique to see off the challenge of Shaheen and Abbas. While Williamson stood like a rock that he has come to be for his team, Taylor's self-abnegation was all the more impressive given his preference for full-flowing strokeplay. Abbas hardly bowled a bad ball in his first spell and Shaheen wasn't too far behind him. The two other seamers in the line-up - Faheem Ashraf and Naseem Shah - couldn't match the accuracy that the opening bowlers had but even they were treated with great caution by the duo of Taylor and Williamson. The Kiwi captain is renowned for playing the ball late and with soft hands. This came in handy today as he showed tremendous judgement of line and length to never play a shot which was inappropriate for a delivery. Whenever the ball was pitched up, Williamson did put his front foot down and play the drive. But that was a rarity. Even Yasir Shah, the sole spinner in the team, bowled well though without any bite, mainly due to the lack of help from the wicket. At lunch, the Kiwis were 55/2 in 26 overs. Williamson had looked solid, though he was dropped at the score of 18 in the slips when he got an edge that was dying as it came near the slip fielders. Otherwise, he was flawless. Taylor was more positive and played some of his trademark cut shots and flicks. After lunch, the pitch had eased out and there wasn't much help for the bowlers. But Abbas and company still managed to hold onto an accurate line and length. There was a period of play where New Zealand didn't score a run for more than eight overs. But both Williamson and Taylor displayed incredible composure in not letting this blockade of runs affect them. Both kept digging in. Taylor reached his half-century in 127 balls, the second slowest of his career. Then, the former captain decided to cut loose and launch a fierce attack on Yasir. He slog swept him, first for a six and then for a four. Williamson kept soldiering on and reached his own fifty in 150 balls. The two senior batters took their team to the tea break at 128/2. After the break, Shaheen jumped into the action again and got Taylor to edge another one of his deliveries which was angled across the right-hander. The breakthrough came when the team was at 133. Taylor scored 70 off 151 deliveries. Henry Nicholls joined the resistance while his captain looked imperious. He was hardly beaten and didn't play a single false shot. Despite all the best efforts of Abbas, the Kiwis avoided further damage. The lack of effective bowling from Naseem and Faheem also gave respite to Williamson and Nicholls. Yasir bowled fine but was completely innocuous on an unsympathetic wicket. Pakistan's hopes now rested completely on the new ball. When it was taken, there was some trouble for Williamson. The New Zealand captain had become a little more intent on scoring and played a couple of fantastic pull shots in front of square when the bowlers pitched short. On the score of 84, Williamson was dropped again. Another slice of luck was Pakistan not asking for a review of a not out decision against an lbw appeal. The umpire thought the ball hit the bat first and Pakistan too didn't challenge the decision. But replays showed that Williamson was hit full on the pad first and the ball was heading towards the stumps. Notwithstanding these near-mishaps, Williamson's innings was a masterclass of how to bat in challenging conditions against a capable line-up. His technique and mental fortitude was of the highest quality. The way he left most deliveries that he didn't need to play showed the discipline he bats with. At the end of play, Kiwis were 222/3 and Williamson unbeaten on 94 off 243 balls. Nicholls was not out on 42 off 100. Pakistan didn't do much wrong on the day. It was just the sheer determination and solidity of Williamson, and also Taylor, that gave New Zealand the advantage.
New Zealand vs Pakistan Test series: 5 compelling reasons to watch this contest
The Test series between New Zealand and Pakistan is not going to grab the headlines as the one between India and Australia, taking place across the Tasman Sea is doing. However, if you are a genuine cricket fan with an avid interest in the game, there are plenty of good reasons why you should tune into this upcoming contest. Despite the depleted nature of the Pakistani team, and their weakness when touring to this region of the world, there are many facets of the team that are worth looking out for. There are also some existing questions which both teams are facing and the answers to whom would form a very important sub-plot to these two upcoming matches. So, let's prep up your appetite for this series by looking at five most important things to watch out for in this battle. World Test Championship The most important sub-text of the series is its role in the ongoing World Test Championship (WTC). New Zealand suddenly found themselves with a very good shot at making it to the final of the tournament because of changes in the points system, brought about due to the COVID pandemic and cancellation of several series. If New Zealand win both these Tests, and many would be betting on them to do so, they would put India, their closest challengers for a spot in the Lord's Final, to be played next year, in a near-impossible scenario for reaching the summit contest. A 2-0 victory for the hosts would mean that India will have to win five out of their next seven Tests to overtake New Zealand at the no. 2 position in the current standings. This won't be easy as three of those matches are in Australia. So, this series will she the Kiwis not just playing against Pakistan but also having a spot in the WTC Final at stake. It makes these matches all the more important. Blundell's Test While the batting line-up of the Blackcaps is well settled otherwise, there is an issue right at the top. New Zealand have been searching for Tom Latham's partner for a long time. They have tried many, from Martin Guptill to Jeet Raval, but nobody has made the spot his own. The current incumbent is Tom Blundell. He made a name for himself by scoring a hundred in the Boxing Day Test last year, in Australia, and despite being a wicketkeeper, has been made the opener. He needs another good score to keep the faith of the team and management. Blundell hasn't done much since that hundred. If he fails in this series also, that would make his place in the team doubtful. That's why this is a very crucial series for the right-handed batsman. Shah's Challenge When Yasir Shah debuted in 2014, after Saeed Ajmal got banned for chucking, Shane Warne immediately recognised great potential in him. Yasir has justified that praise by becoming the fastest bowler to 200 Test wickets in the history of the game. However, his record outside Asia isn't very impressive. Except for England and West Indies where he has had great success, his other tours havent's yielded great results. Australia has been a veritable nightmare for the leggie. The tour to New Zealand gives Yasir an opportunity to prove that he is not a dustbowl bully and can succeed in adverse conditions. The pitches in New Zealand are likely to be very green. This would make it difficult for him to find any help. He would have to use his skills to the fullest to get wickets. If he does, he would establish himself as a bowler of true high-class quality. Can Abbas Turn the Tables on Kiwis? Pakistan are going into the series with serious handicaps. They are missing their premier batsman Babar Azam, also the captain, for at least the first Test. If there is any chance for them to upset New Zealand, it may depend on how Mohammad Abbas bowls. Not a man with rapid pace, Abbas made a big mark in international cricket in 2018 with his nagging line and length that proved deadly in United Arab Emirates. He raced to 50 Test wickets in no time and seemd to possess amazing skills of seam bowling. However, his place in the team was lost due to the arrival of young, exciting, and pacy bowlers. But he has been picked in the Test team again and has a golden opportunity in this series. The reason is simple. New Zealanders usually prepare green tops against teams from Asia. Even the last series against West Indies saw the Kiwis having lush green strips for both the Tests. On such pitches, Abbas, with his precise line and the ability to get the ball to move just enough, may prove deadly. Hence, New Zealand will be wary of him. If he manages to rip through the home team's batting line-up, that could give Pakistan a decent chance. Spotlight on Naseem and Shaheen Pakistan have one of the most exciting group of young fast bowlers in the world. However, the likes of Naseem Shah and Shaheen Afridi endured a miserable time in Australia when David Warner smashed them around mercilessly. But the two were able to recover in home conditions against Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Now, as they head to New Zealand, the spotlight would be again on them. Their young age and prodigious talent would be talked about. Getting wickets at home, against relatively weak batting line-ups is one thing. But to take on New Zealand in their home conditions would be a challenge far more tough. If these two men succeed in this series, that would justify the faith of those who regard them as future of Paksitan's seam bowling. A failure would raise doubts about that proposition.
Pakistan's A team registers strong win against New Zealand A
Pakistan Shaheens, or as they would more informally be called, Pakistan A, registered a morale-boosting win over New Zealand A in the one-off unofficial Test at Whangerei on Sunday. Chasing a target of 298, the home side was bowled out for 226, losing by a margin of 89 runs. For the Shaheens, three wickets each were picked up by pacers Naseem Shah and Amad Butt while Yasir Shah, the leading leg-spinner in Test cricket today, took a couple. One wicket each went into the account of seamers Mohammad Abbas and Sohail Khan. The day started with Pakistan's second-string side, at least nominally, at 318/9 and leading by 286 runs. The pair of Naseem Shah and Mohammad Abbas added 11 runs more to the total before Matt Henry wrapped up the innings at 329, picking up his sixth wicket of the innings. The Kiwi seamer ended up with figures of 6/53. In response, no New Zealand A batsman could score even a half century. The highest scorer in the innings was Nathan Smith with 45. Captain Michael Bracewell and Joe Carter scored 30 each in the middle order. This loss for New Zealand A came after their emphatic 2-0 triump over West Indies A in the previous unofficial Test series. But this loss won't hurt that much because the Pakistan team was stacked with regular members of the main Test squad of the country. The batting line-up consisted of batsmen such as Shan Masood, Azhar Ali, Abid Ali, Fawad Alam - all part of the Test set up. The bowling line-up also included Test bowlers like Mohammad Abbas, Yasir Shah, and Naseem Shah. The biggest takeaway from this match would be the century by Fawad Alam. An enigmatic player who has been in and out of the Pakistan team's set up and treated unfairly by selectors very often, he laid another strong claim to a spot in the Test team. Since he played in the team's last series, in England, he should get reselected. For the hosts, the form of Matt Henry is encouraging. New Zealand have a top class bowling line-up with Tim Southee and Trent Boult forming, one of the best bowling duos in the world. They are backed up by the indefatigable Neil Wagner and prodigious young talent Kyle Jamieson. But Henry, who has been a regular member of the ODI team, has made the selectors take note of him and may be the back-up for either Southee or Boult, if they miss any of the matches.